Convoy
OB.229 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers CHELSEA, STURDY, WHITEHALL,
corvettes ARABIS and HELIOTROPE, anti-submarine trawlers BLACKFLY and LADY
ELSA. Destroyer CHELSEA was detached on the 16th and the rest of the escort
on the 18th.

_____

Convoy
FN.309 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN and sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 18th.

_____

Convoy
FS.310 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER and sloop EGRET.
The convoy arrived at Southend on the 18th.

The
convoy was joined on the 26th by SLOOP WESTON, corvettes CAMPANULA, CLARKIA,
GLADIOLUS, anti-submarine trawlers FANDANGO, MAN O.WAR, STELLA CAPELLA,
VIZALMA. Destroyers HARVESTER and HIGHLANDER joined the convoy on the 27th.
Destroyer STURDY joined the convoy on the 30th, but was lost that day.

The
convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 31st.

Wednesday, 16 October

Battleship KING GEORGE V had completed construction at Vickers Armstrong,
Tyne, in mid October and was to be taken away from the Tyne for final
completion and working up at Rosyth.

Due to
the acoustic mine threat, six destroyers were to run up the Tyne to simulate
the magnetic field of the battleship prior to KING GEORGE V's departure.

The
destroyers proceeded up the Tyne to detonate acoustic mines. They were then
to pick up the battleship and escort her to Rosyth with anti-aircraft
cruisers NAIAD and BONAVENTURE.

At
0459 on the 17th at Whitburn Rifle Range near Sunderland in 54-47-05N,
1-21W, destroyers FAME and ASHANTI ran aground and were badly damaged and
destroyer MAORI ran aground, but was able to get herself off with light hull
damage.

The
damaged destroyer crews went ashore during the night of 17/18 October due to
heavy swells. Only the anti-aircraft crews, damage control, salvage
personnel remained on board.

Destroyer ASHANTI was refloated on 1 November and towed to Sunderland. On 9
November, the destroyer was towed to the Tyne. She was repaired at Wallsend
completing at the end of August 1941.

Destroyer FAME was refloated on 1 December. She was under temporary repair
at Sunderland until 5 February 1941. She then was taken to Chatham and
rebuilt on a new hull. She was repairing until 29 August 1942.

Meanwhile, battleship KING GEORGE V was joined by anti-aircraft cruisers
NAIAD and BONAVENTURE and destroyers MAORI, SIKH, BRILLIANT, ELECTRA at
0900/17th.

The
screen was augmented at 1000 by destroyers BEAGLE, WESTMINSTER, WALLACE. At
1030, destroyer FEARLESS joined the screen.

At
1440, the force reached the Oxcars Boom at Rosyth.

Destroyer MAORI lost her asdic dome in the grounding and was repaired at
Rosyth by the end of the month.

_____

Light
cruiser MANCHESTER, on passage from the Firth of Forth to the Humber,
detonated a mine in 54-21N, 0-18W.

There
was no damage to the cruiser.

_____

Light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON departed the Humber for Scapa Flow.

_____

Convoy
OA.230 departed Methil escorted by sloop FLEETWOOD and corvette CLEMATIS.
The sloop was detached on the 20th and the corvette on the 21st when the
convoy rendezvoused with OB.230.

_____

Convoy
FN.310 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VEGA and VIMIERA. The
convoy arrived at Methil on the 18th.

_____

Convoy
FS.311 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and sloop BLACK SWAN.
The convoy arrived at Southend on the 19th.

Minesweeper DUNDALK (Lt Cdr F. A. I. Kirkpatrick Rtd) of the 4th
Minesweeping Flotilla was badly damaged on a mine off Harwich in 51‑57N,
1‑27E at 1831. She was taken in tow by minesweeper SUTTON but sank in tow at
0242 on the 18th.

Four
ratings were lost in the minesweeper. Seven ratings were wounded.

The
German destroyers were sighted at 0719 near Brest by British aircraft.

Three
convoys were in immediate danger, convoy OG.44 escorted by Sloop WELLINGTON,
convoy SL.50 escorted by Armed merchant cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE, convoy
HG.45 escorted by British escort vessel GLEANER. These convoys were ordered
to steer west until the threat was dealt with.

The
German ships were sighted at 1600 and an action ensued that continued until
1800 when the German destroyers had outdistanced the British force.

No
damage was received by either side, but destroyer JUPITER experienced
mechanical problems limiting her speed before the engagement and light
cruiser NEWCASTLE had a breakdown in number three boiler room in the
pursuit.

The
British and German forces were never less than 18, 000 yards apart.

Ten
crew were lost on the Norwegian steamer. Two crew were lost on the British
steamer.

_____

British steamer FRANKRIG (1361grt) was sunk on a mine in 52‑03N, 01‑48E.

Nineteen crew from the steamer were rescued by destroyer HOLDERNESS.

_____

British fishing vessel ALBATROSS (15grt) was sunk on a mine off Grimsby.

All
but five crew were lost on the fishing vessel.

_____

British steamer HAUXLEY (1595grt) in convoy FN.311 was torpedoed by German
motor torpedo boat S.18 six miles north, northwest of Smith's Knoll.

Steamer HAUXLEY sank in tow of Destroyer WORCESTER at 0645 on the 18th in
50-03-30N, 1-35-30E.

One
crew was lost on the British steamer.

British steamers P. L. M. 14 (3754grt) and GASFIRE (2972grt) in the same
convoy were damaged by German motor torpedo boats S.24 and S.27 in 52‑52N,
02‑06E.

British steamer BRIAN (1074grt) claimed sinking one of the German S.boats.

_____

Faroes
motor fishing vessel CHEERFUL (65grt) was sunk on a mine off the Faroes
Island.

_____

British steamer ETHYLENE (936grt) was damaged on a mine one quarter mile
north, northeast of East Oaze Light Buoy.

_____

British steamer GEORGE BALFOUR (1570grt) was damaged on a mine 12,900 yards
230° from Aldeburgh Light Vessel.

_____

Australian heavy cruiser AUSTRALIA and destroyers ECHO and GRIFFIN departed
Gibraltar, escorting troopships KARANJA and ETTRICK to the United Kingdom.
They were recalled when a report was received that French battleship
STRASBOURG and twenty other warships were departing Toulon.

When
the report was found to be incorrect, the heavy cruiser and destroyers ECHO
and ESCAPADE with the troopships departed Gibraltar on the 18th.

_____

British troopship REINA DEL PACIFICO arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.

_____

British storeship CITY OF DIEPPE, escorted by destroyer GALLANT, arrived at
Gibraltar from Freetown.

_____

French
torpedo boat LA BATAILLEUSE passed Gibraltar westbound escorting submarines
PEGASE and MONGE, which had departed Bizerte on the 11th and submarines
ESPOIR and VENGEUR, which had departed Toulon on the 11th. These ships
proceeded to Casablanca to relieve submarines LE HEROS, LE GLORIEUX, CIRCE,
CALYPSO.

U.123
damaged with three torpedoes British steamer SHEKATIKA (5458grt) which was
romping ahead of convoy SC.7 in 57‑12N, 11‑08W.

U.100
damaged with one torpedo British steamer SHEKATIKA an hour later in 57‑12N,
11‑08W.

U.123
finally sank British steamer SHEKATIKA early on the 19th in 57‑12N, 11‑08W.

The
reason that steamer SHEKATIKA was so durable was that she was carrying a
cargo of lumber.

The
entire crew of the steamer was rescued by Sloop FOWEY.

_____

U.46
in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank British steamer BEATUS (4885grt) in 57‑31N,
13‑10W and Swedish steamer CONVALLARIA (1996grt) in 57‑22N, 11‑11W. In a
third attack on a steamer, U.46 claimed damage to a large steamer, but no
confirmation is available.

The
entire crew of steamer CONVALLARIA's were rescued by Sloop FOWEY. The entire
crew of steamer BEATUS's were picked up by Dutch steamer BOEKOLO, which was
soon sunk herself, corvette BLUEBELL.

_____

U.101
in attacks on convoy SC.7 sank British steamer CREEKIRK (3971grt) in 57‑30N,
11‑10W and claimed sinking another steamer at the same location, but no
confirmation exists for this claim.

Five
crew and the naval gunner were lost on the steamer EMPIRE BRIGADE. Survivors
from steamer EMPIRE BRIGADE were picked up by sloop LEITH. Twenty two crew
were lost on the Greek steamer. The entire crew of the steamer SNEFJELD was
rescued.

British troopship REINA DEL PACIFICO departed Gibraltar for Liverpool,
escorted by destroyer FORESIGHT and given local escort by destroyer
WRESTLER, which returned to Gibraltar after dark on the 21st.

_____

From
information found in Italian submarine DURBO, six destroyers (destroyers
FORESTER, GALLANT, GRIFFIN, HOTSPUR, et al) departed Gibraltar to hunt for
Italian submarine LAFOLE, known to be operating off Cape Tresforcas.

_____

Australian light cruiser HOBART was refitting at Colombo from 19 October to
19 November 1940.

On
completion of this refit, light cruiser HOBART relieved New Zealand light
cruiser LEANDER in the Red Sea Force.

British steamer CONAKRIAN (4876grt) from convoy OA.232 was damaged by German
aerial torpedo, nine miles 130° from Girdleness.

Destroyer CLEVELAND took off the survivors from lifeboats and stood by the
steamer.

The
steamer was taken in tow and safely brought into port.

Steamer CONAKRIAN was dragged onto the shore one mile south of the Bridge of
Don at 2200/22nd.

_____

British steamer CITY OF ROUBAIX (7108grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Alexandria Dock, Liverpool.

_____

Convoy
HX.82 departed Halifax at 1300 escorted by Canadian destroyers ST CROIX and
ST FRANCIS and auxiliary patrol boats HUSKY and REINDEER. The destroyers
turned the convoy over to ocean escort, Armed merchant cruiser ALAUNIA,
which was detached on the 31st.

On 1
November, destroyers CHELSEA, VERITY, VETERAN, and WITHERINGTON, corvettes
CAMELLIA and HONEYSUCKLE of the OB.235 escort joined the convoy. Also
joining on 1 November were destroyers BROKE, MALCOLM, SARDONYX and corvettes
ARABIS, GENTIAN, HELIOTROPE. On 3 November, destroyers BROKE and MALCOLM and
corvettes ARABIS, CAMELLIA, HELIOTROPE were detached. On 4 November,
destroyers CHELSEA, VERITY, VETERAN, WITHERINGTON and covette GENTIAN were
detached. Destroyer SARDONYX and corvette HONEYSUCKLE arrived with the
convoy at Liverpool on 6 November.

Destroyer HOTSPUR sustained considerable damage to her bow ramming the
submarine. She received temporary repairs at Gibraltar from 22 October to 20
November. Then to Malta for repairs from 29 November to 20 February.

Destroyer GALLANT picked up one officer and one rating from the Italian
submarine. Seven ratings were picked up by destroyer HOTSPUR.

_____

Aircraft carrier EAGLE departed Alexandria with destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK,
ILEX, DECOY, HEREWARD on exercises. All the ships arrived back at Alexandria
at 0915 on the 21st.

_____

Heavy
cruiser KENT was undocked at Alexandria after emergency repairs for torpedo
damage. She was moored astern of submarine depot ship MEDWAY. The heavy
cruiser departed Alexandria on the 26th for Port Said.

_____

Troop
convoy US 6 of British troopships QUEEN MARY (81235grt) and AQUITANIA
(45647grt) departed Sydney on the 20th.

British troopship MAURETANIA (35738grt) departed Melbourne on the 21st and
joined at sea. The convoy departed Fremantle on the 26th escorted by light
cruiser PERTH.

The
light cruiser was relieved on the 30th at 12-30N, 96E by heavy cruiser
CANBERRA which continued with the convoy to Bombay. The convoy arrived
safely at Bombay on 4 November and the troops went aboard four smaller
ships, one of them the British steamer ROHNA (8602grt).

The
four steamers arrived safely at Suez on 26/27 November.

_____

Convoy
BS.6B departed Port Sudan, escorted by destroyer KINGSTON and sloop
FLAMINGO. The destroyer was detached on the 21st. Sloop INDUS joined on the
22nd. The convoy was dispersed off Aden on the 24th.

_____

Convoy
BS.7 departed Suez. The convoy was joined on the 21st by sloop GRIMSBY and
on the 22nd by sloop CLIVE. Both sloops were detached on the 24th when the
convoy was joined by light cruiser LEANDER, anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE,
destroyer KINGSTON, sloops AUCKLAND and YARRA. The convoy dispersed off Aden
on the 28th.

On 23
October, sloop WESTON and corvettes CAMPANULA and PEONY joined the escort.
On 25 October, destroyers SCIMITAR and SKATE were detached and on the 26th,
the remainder of the escort left the convoy.

_____

Convoy
FS.316 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 23rd.

_____

In a
group of four minesweepers, minesweeping trawler WAVEFLOWER (550grt,
Temporary Skipper R. M. MacDonald RNR) was sunk on a mine off Aldeburgh.

MacDonald and fourteen ratings were lost on the trawler. Lt W. J. Curtayne
RNVR, six ratings were rescued by trawler THOMAS LEEDS of this group.

British minefield BS.42 was laid on 21 and 22 October by minelayers
TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER and destroyers ICARUS and IMPULSIVE.

_____

British steamer KERRY HEAD (825grt) was sunk by German bombing five miles
due south of Blackball Head, Eire.

Twelve
crew were lost on the British steamer.

_____

British steamer HOUSTON CITY (4935grt) was badly damaged by German bombing
one half mile 225° from East Oaze Light Vessel.

The
steamer was beached. Steamer HOUSTON CITY was bombed again on 1 November and
damaged further. Salvage was abandoned.

_____

Russian steamer ASTRID (603grt) was sunk on a defensive minefield near
Leningrad.

Three
crew were killed and ten drowned on the steamer.

_____

Operation JUDGMENT, the British air strike on the Italian Fleet at Taranto,
was scheduled originally for this date, but the fire on aircraft carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS on the 18th forced postponement.

Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS was damaged by a fire on her hanger deck which
destroyed four Swordfish of 819 Squadron and damage one Swordfish of 815
Squadron. Two other aircraft were damaged.

Repairs to aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS were completed on the 29th.

_____

Submarine PARTHIAN attacked and tried to ram an Italian submarine off Cape
Colonna without success.

_____

Convoy
BN.7 departed Bombay on the 10th escorted by armed merchant cruisers ANTENOR
and RANCHI from 10 to 16 October.

On 16
October, light cruiser LEANDER and sloops AUCKLAND and YARRA took over the
escort of the convoy.

At
Aden on the 19th, destroyer KIMBERLEY and sloop INDUS joined the convoy. The
convoy was proceeding up the Red Sea on the 21st escorted by New Zealand
light cruiser LEANDER, which departed Aden on the 18th, destroyer KIMBERLEY,
sloops AUCKLAND and YARRA, minesweepers DERBY and HUNTLEY.

Italian air attacks on the convoy on the 19th managed to near miss French
liner FELIX ROUSSEL (17, 083grt) which was carrying New Zealand troops.

Italian destroyers MANIN, SAURO, BATTISTI, NULLO sortied from Massawa on the
20th to attack the Convoy which they did at 0219 on the 21st. The convoy
escorts drove the Italian destroyers away from the convoy.

New
Zealand light cruiser LEANDER fired 129 rounds of six inch gunfire in the
engagement.

Australian sloop YARRA was near missed by a torpedo fired from one of the
Italian destroyers.

Italian destroyer NULLO was badly damaged by their gunfire, but managed to
reach Massawa. Destroyer NULLO ran aground on Hormi Island off Massawa and
was later destroyed by British bombing.

Destroyer KIMBERLEY was drawn into the range of Massawa shore guns which
damaged the destroyer at 16‑29N, 40‑13E. KIMBERLEY sustained three men
wounded and ruptured steam lines.

Destroyer KIMBERLEY was towed by light cruiser LEANDER which was relieved by
destroyer KINGSTON that afternoon and they safely arrived at Port Sudan.

The
damage to KIMBERLEY was temporarily repaired on the 30th. The destroyer
departed Port Sudan on the 31st. She could to return to duty but was limited
to 25 knots until a new steam pipe could be fitted at Bombay.

On 6
November, destroyer KIMBERLEY sailed for Bombay and the damage took ten days
to repair.

This
allied group of escort vessels met convoy BS.7 on the 23rd.

Minesweepers DERBY and HUNTLEY joined the convoy on the 19th. After 23
October, the minesweepers proceeded independently to Suez.

Sloops
GRIMSBY and CLIVE took over the convoy on the 23rd at Port Sudan. On 26
October, the convoy arrived at Suez.

Steamer DURMITOR was renamed RADWINTER and sent to the Italian port of
Mogadishu.

When
that port fell to British forces on 25 February 1941, DURMITOR was returned
to allied control. Allied crew on the steamer were freed.

Tuesday, 22 October

Canadian destroyer MARGAREE (Cdr J. W. R. Roy RCN), which had departed
Londonderry on the 19th with the five ship OL.8 convoy as her first mission
as an RCN ship was sunk in a collision with British steamer PORT FAIRY
(8337grt) in 53‑24N, 22‑50W.

Destroyer MARGAREE was former Destroyer DIANA transferred to the Canadian
Navy on 6 September. Most of the crew were survivors from the destroyer
FRASER.

On
arrival in Yell Sound, the destroyers were ordered to remain at sea to
search for a U.boat reported in 60-00N, 6-47W. They proceeded to Muckle
Flugga. They carried out a patrol eastward of the Shetlands in the longitude
of 00-30W due to a possibility of invasion that night. At dawn, they
returned to patrol off Muckle Flugga.

_____

Naval
trawler HICKORY (505grt, Lt R. E. Harding RNVR) was sunk on a mine south of
Portland in the English Channel.

On 6
November, destroyers CASTLETON, VANQUISHER, VISCOUNT, WHITEHALL and corvette
FLEUR DE LYS joined the convoy. Destroyers SALADIN and SHIKARI joined on 7
November and were detached on 8 November. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on
10 November.

Destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, PUNJABI departed Sullom Voe on the 22nd and
were on patrol north of the Shetlands. At 1900 they were ordered to proceed
towards 62-23N, 4-50E off Egersund to intercept a group of twenty German
fishing vessels escorted by one escort ship. The destroyers were ordered to
withdraw to the westward at 0330 if no contact was made.

In
Operation DNU, German weather ship WBS 5 (trawler ADOLF VINNEN, 391grt) was
sunk west of Stadlandet in 62‑29N, 4‑23E by destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE,
PUNJABI on the 24th.

The
force and the DNU destroyers arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1700/24th.

Anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE sustained some weather damage to her
forecastle.

Battlecruiser REPULSE and destroyers BULLDOG and DOUGLAS arrived later on
the 24th.

Convoy
OB.233 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers CALDWELL and VANSITTART and
corvettes CALENDULA and GLOXINIA. On 24 October, destroyer WALKER joined the
escort. The entire escort was detached on the 27th.

_____

Convoy
FN.316 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VEGA and VIMIERA. The
convoy arrived at Methil on the 25th.

_____

Convoy
FN.317 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY and sloop LOWESTOFT.
The convoy arrived at Methil on the 25th.

_____

Convoy
FS.318 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 25th.

_____

Probationary Temporary S/Lt (A) J. H. Meyer RNVR, S/Lt G. A. Bragg were
killed when their Swordfish of 767 Squadron collided with a Shark aircraft
of 758 Squadron near St Vigeans. The pilot of the Shark was unhurt.

_____

US
destroyers of Destroyer Divisions 64, 78, the second section of Division 73
were transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend Lease at Halifax.

US Name

British
Name

Commanding
Officer

USS EVANS
(DD.78)

HMS
MANSFIELD

Lt Cdr W A
R Cartwright

USS PHILIP
(DD.76)

HMS
LANCASTER

Cdr P K
Wallace

USS WICKES
(DD.75))

HMS
MONTGOMERY

Cdr H F
Nash Rtd

USS
STOCKTON (DD.73)

HMS LUDLOW

Cdr G B
Sayer

USS CONWAY
(ex-CRAVEN, DD 72)

HMS LEWES

Lt Cdr J N
K Knight

USS CONNER
(DD.72)

HMS LEEDS

Lt Cdr W M
L Astwood

USS TWIGGS
(DD.127)

HMS
LEAMINGTON

Cdr W E
Banks DSC

USS
YARNALL (DD.143)

HMS
LINCOLN

Cdr A M
Sheffield

USS
MCCALLA (DD.252)

HMS
STANLEY

Lt Cdr R B
Stannard VC RNR

USS
RODGERS (DD.254)

HMS
SHERWOOD

Lt Cdr S.W
F Bennetts

Destroyer LEEDS departed St Johns first and arrived at Belfast on 10
November and went on to Plymouth arriving on 17 November.

Destroyers LINCOLN, LEWES, LUDLOW departed Halifax on the 31st and arrived
at Plymouth on 15 November for duty in the Western Approaches as 1st Escort
Group following refitting and repairs in England.

Destroyers MONTGOMERY and LEAMINGTON departed Halifax on 1 November and
arrived at Belfast on 11 November, going on to Plymouth arriving on 15
November for service with the 2nd Escort Group following refitting and
repairs.

Destroyers LANCASTER, MANSFIELD, SHERWOOD departed St Johns on 12 November
and after refuelling departed Belfast on 21 November for Plymouth.

Destroyer STANLEY, after being under repair at St John from 6 November to 13
December, arrived at Devonport on 2 January 1941.

_____

Canadian destroyer SAGUENAY arrived in the Clyde from Halifax for duty in
the Western Approaches.

_____

Hunt-class destroyer PYTCHLEY was completed. Following working up she was
assigned to the 21st Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Nore.

_____

British steamer EMPIRE ABILITY (7603grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Gareloch.

_____

Swedish trawler ESSIE (55grt) was sunk on a mine ten miles southeast of
Skagen.

Six
crew were lost on the trawler.

_____

German
heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER departed Gotenhaven and proceeded to
Brunsbuttel prior sailing to raid in the North and South Atlantic Oceans and
in the Indian Ocean.

Norwegian steamer PRINSESSE RAGNHILD (1590grt) was sunk north of Bodo on a
mine.

Thursday, 24 October

At
1135 three miles southeast of Barrell of Butter, Hunt-class destroyer MENDIP
(Lt Cdr G. N. Rolfe DSC) was damaged by the explosion of one of her depth
charges.

Destroyer MENDIP's stern was blown off and she was taken to Scapa Flow for
docking and temporary repairs from 24 October to 7 November when the
destroyer was undocked on 7 November. Destroyer MENDIP underwent four more
days of repairs prior to departing Scapa Flow.

Destroyer MENDIP was towed by tug CHAMPION at 0900 on 11 November escorted
by anti-submarine trawler LOCH TULLA south for repairs.

The
destroyer arrived in the Tyne at 1510 on 13 November for repairs completed
on 17 February 1941.

_____

Due to
the mining of destroyer MENDIP, movement in the Flow was prohibited and the
forces returning from the Norwegian coast were delayed in entering harbour.

_____

Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA transferred from convoy HX.79 A to OA.234 off
the Firth of Forth.

British troopship EMPRESS OF BRITAIN (42,348grt) had departed Capetown on
the 12th returning from the Middle East to Liverpool.

The
troopship was bombed and damaged by a German FW 200 bomber seventy miles
northwest of Donegal Bay in 54‑53N, 11‑19W.

Four
hundred and sixteen crew, two naval gunners, two hundred and five passengers
were on the liner. The convoy was escorted by destroyer ECHO and Polish
destroyer BURZA.

Destroyers ECHO and BURZA took 570 survivors from the troopship.

Troopship EMPRESS OF BRITAIN was taken in tow by destroyer BURZA and
supported by anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO and destroyer BROKE which sailed
from the Clyde on the 26th to assist.

Destroyer BURZA was later relieved by destroyer BROKE and escorted by
destroyer SARDONYX. A tug, which was joined by a second, later took over the
tow and destroyers BROKE and SARDONYX escorted the troopship towards port.

Destroyer SCIMITAR was also involved in the escort of the damaged liner.

Destroyers ECHO and BURZA arrived in the Clyde at 0800/27th with the
survivors from the troopship.

Destroyers CLEVELAND and VIMY were detached at midnight and arrived at Scapa
Flow at 1000/29th.

However, heavy weather culminating in the hurricane damaged the British
ships.

On 29
October, shells came adrift in light cruiser DIDO in the heavy weather,
causing her turrets to jam. She was forced to put into the Faroes for
shelter and repairs. She was able to arrive at Scapa Flow at 0040 on 1
November escorted by destroyer KEPPEL.

On 30
October, light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON intercepted Finnish steamer DORE K. The
light cruiser turned her over to armed boarding vessel NORTHERN SKY which
took the steamer to Kirkwall.

No
contact was made and battlecruisers HOOD and REPULSE, aircraft carrier
FURIOUS, destroyers SOMALI (D.6), ESKIMO, MASHONA, PUNJABI, DOUGLAS arrived
back at Scapa Flow on 1350 on 1 November.

Belgian steamer KATANGA (5183grt) was damaged by mining three cables 100°
from Pillar Buoy, River Mersey.

_____

Convoy
HX.84 departed Halifax at 1400 escorted by Canadian destroyers COLUMBIA and
ST FRANCIS which turned to the convoy over to ocean escort, Armed merchant
cruiser JERVIS BAY.

The
convoy dispersed on 5 November when the convoy was attacked by German heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER and the armed merchant cruiser was sunk.

_____

Force
H with Battleship BARHAM, battlecruiser RENOWN, destroyers GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN, GALLANT, FORTUNE, FORESTER, FIREDRAKE departed Gibraltar in
response to a rumour that four French destroyers were at sea en route from
Casablanca to Dakar.

The
ships were recalled later in the day. In addition, destroyer ILEX on convoy
escort duty was recalled to Alexandria and armed boarding vessel FIONA and
destroyer DEFENDER were sailed from Port Said to Alexandria.

These
ships were to participate in Operation BN, the establishment of a fuelling
base at Suda Bay.

_____

French
destroyers L'ALCYON and TEMPETE departed Toulon and destroyers BRESTOIS,
BOULONNAIS, SIMOUN departed Bizerte. The five destroyers were at Oran on 29
and 30 October. On 30 October, the five departed and arrived at Casablanca
on 1 November.

_____

Italy
declared war on Greece.

_____

Greek
steamers BELGION (2844grt) and LEONTIOS TERYAZOS (4479grt) were seized by
German forces at Bordeaux.

Convoy
OB.236 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer BROKE, sloop LEITH and
corvettes ARABIS and HELIOTROPE. The escort was joined on the 30th by
destroyers MALCOLM and SARDONYX. On 1 November, corvette GENTIAN was with
the convoy for the day only and the rest of the convoy escort, less sloop
LEITH, was detached. Sloop LEITH was detached on 2 November.

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Convoy
FN.322 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WESTMINSTER.
The convoy arrived at Methil on the 31st.

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Convoy
FS.322 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VANITY and WOLFHOUND and
anti-submarine trawlers AGATE and TURQUOISE. Patrol sloop PINTAIL joined on
the 31st. The convoy arrived at Southend on 1 November.

Destroyers WILD SWAN and CLARE were detached on 2 November and WANDERER was
detached on 3 November.

The
ocean escort was armed merchant cruiser SALOPIAN which departed the Clyde on
the 31st and was with the convoy from 6 to 9 November. The convoy was joined
by destroyer VIDETTE, which departed Gibraltar on 8 November, on 9 November.
The destroyer escorted the convoy until its arrival at Gibraltar on 13
November.

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German
torpedo boats ILTIS and JAGUAR laid minefield ALFRED off Dover during the
night of 29/30 October.

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On
this date, submarine PARTHIAN was on patrol off the Gulf of Taranto,
submarine PANDORA was on patrol in Straits of Otranto, two Greek submarines
were on patrol in the Ionian Sea. Submarine REGULUS was on patrol in the
Gulf of Sydra and French submarine NARVAL was between Lampedusa and
Kerkenah.

Heavy
cruiser YORK and light cruisers SYDNEY, ORION, GLOUCESTER departed
Alexandria late on the 28th and joined the Fleet off Crete.

The
Main Fleet swept to the west of Crete to cover the movements to Crete.

On 29
October at 1400, a convoy of Royal Fleet Auxiliaries OLNA and BRAMBLELEAF,
armed boarding vessels CHAKLA and FIONA, minesweeper FAREHAM, net layer
PROTECTOR escorted by anti-aircraft cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY and
destroyers VAMPIRE, VOYAGER, WATERHEN, WRYNECK departed Alexandria. This
convoy, less CALCUTTA, WRYNECK, OLNA, arrived at Suda Bay on the 31st at
1630. The OLNA group arrived at 0630 on 1 November.

On
board vessels CHAKLA and FIONA were eleven officers and one hundred and
forty seven ratings, under the command of Lt Cdr J. N. Hicks, of a Base
Defense Party. This party was composed of crew from damaged cruiser
LIVERPOOL.

Light
cruiser AJAX departed Alexandria on the 31st and arrived at Suda Bay on 1
November.

Destroyers JUNO and DEFENDER were detached from the Main Force to refuel at
Suda Bay on the 31st.

On 31
October, destroyers MOHAWK and NUBIAN, detached from the Main Force,
examined Navarin Bay. These destroyers rejoined the Main Force that
afternoon.

Destroyers JUNO and VOYAGER rejoined the Main Force from Suda Bay. Destroyer
VOYAGER was a replacement for destroyer DEFENDER, which had fouled the nets
at Suda Bay.

The
steamer reported the attack and Destroyers HARVESTER and HIGHLANDER arrived
on the scene.

The
submarine was sunk by destroyers HARVESTER and HIGHLANDER in 55‑37N, 12‑20W
west of Ireland.

Destroyer HARVESTER picked up twenty nine crew from the submarine and
destroyer HIGHLANDER picked up four crew for a total of four officers and
twenty nine ratings. Nine crew were lost on the German submarine.

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During
the night of 30/31 October, German auxiliary minelayer PASSAT laid forty
mines in the eastern entrance to Bass Strait.

British steamer HILLFERN (1535grt) was lost to unknown external explosion
thirty five miles north, northwest of Buchanness.

Eight
crew were missing on the steamer.

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British steamer STARSTONE (5702grt) was damaged by German bombing in 54‑12N,
15‑32W.

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German
trawler ALDEBARAN (433grt) was sunk on a mine off Libau.

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German
armed merchant cruiser WIDDER arrived at Brest after having been met in the
Bay of Biscay by U.29 on the 29th.

This
concluded a cruise in which WIDDER sank ten ships for 58, 645grt.

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Convoy
HG.46 with fifty one ships departed Gibraltar.

Destroyers INGLEFIELD and VIDETTE and sloop WELLINGTON departed Gibraltar
with the convoy.

Destroyer VIDETTE was detached on 3 November and destroyer INGLEFIELD was
detached on 6 November. Sloop WELLINGTON was with the convoy for the entire
voyage. On 8 November, sloop WELLINGTON was in a collision with British
steamer SARASTONE (2473grt). The sloop was repaired at Liverpool.

On 8
November, battlecruiser RENOWN was with the convoy and continued until 10
November. Also, on 8 November, ocean boarding vessel CAMITO joined the
convoy and remained with the convoy until 15 November.

Armed
merchant cruiser DERBYSHIRE with convoy SL.53 was with the convoy from 9 to
19 November. Convoy SL.53 was in company with HG.46 from 9 to 12 November.

Heavy
cruiser AUSTRALIA escorted the convoy from 11 to 14 November.

From
convoy OB.241, destroyers VETERAN, VERITY, WITHERINGTON and corvettes
CLEMATIS and PRIMROSE joined the convoy escort on 15 November.

Destroyer FIREDRAKE made an attack on a submarine contact in 35-52N, 7-55W.

When
the French ships turned south, the British ships returned to Gibraltar. The
battleship, battlecruiser, destroyers GREYHOUND, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, FURY
arrived at Gibraltar on 1 November.

Destroyers ENCOUNTER and GRIFFIN also arrived on 1 November.

_____

Greek
destroyers SPETSAI and PSARA departed the Gulf of Patras and bombarded
Italian positions in Albania.

_____

Operation JUDGMENT was considered for this date while the Mediterranean
Fleet was at sea, but unfavourable moon conditions ruled it out.

_____

French
steamer CONGO (5205grt) departed Fort de France for Casablanca with 1259
passengers, including 1206 naval personnel, on the 24th. The steamer was
intercepted by Armed merchant cruiser MORETON BAY at 26-45N, 29-44W and sent
to Freetown.

Light
cruiser DRAGON joined the ships on 6 November and all arrived at Freetown on
7 November.

Passengers on the steamer were put on other ships between 14 December and 4
January and allowed to continue to Casablanca.